Boarded up shops, the cost-of-living crisis and Gaza backlash: Oldham residents ... trends now
Residents in Oldham have blamed the demise of their town and the cost of living crisis as much as the Gaza protest vote for Labour losing control of their council.
The party lost overall control of the council after independents picked up seats in an apparent backlash over the Gaza war with Sir Keir Starmer admitting the conflict was a 'very strong factor' in losing.
Speaking today Sir Keir was asked whether his stance on Gaza had played a part in the results in Oldham. He told the BBC: 'There are some places where it's a very strong factor... I respect that'.
The party's national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden has admitted the crisis in the Middle East has been an 'issue' on the doorstep because with 'so many innocent people being killed I'm not surprised people have strong feelings about that'.
One Labour councillor in the town who lost their Oldham seat told the BBC: 'The main reason for this is Gaza and anger that the Labour Party took too long to call for a ceasefire' .
The count at Oldham Council in the early hours where Labour lost control with those who lost seats blaming their party's stance on Gaza not chiming with Muslim voters
Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner meets new Labour MP for Blackpool South, Chris Webb at Blackpool Cricket Club today
England Local
England Mayoral
London Assembly
London Mayoral
Police & Crime
Labour is still the largest party on Oldham Council with 27 seats - but have lost control because there are now 16 independents as well as nine Lib Dems and eight Tory councillors.
Councillors Nyla Ibrahim and Akhtar Shoab left Labour to sit as independents, reportedly citing Labour's response to Gaza, with councillor Ibrahim re-elected on Thursday.
Retiring Labour councillor Paul Fryer said last night: 'Labour have been in power in Oldham for 13 years, perhaps people are a bit tired of Labour. In some parts of the borough it's the Gaza issue that may lose them the seat'.
Pat McFadden has admitted the crisis in Gaza has been an 'issue' and 'does get raised' when asked about Labour's loss of control in Oldham.
The party's national campaign coordinator told BBC Breakfast: 'I do think that's been a factor in some places, I don't think there's any point in denying that. It does get raised, and I understand why people have strong feelings about that.'
He said that with 'so many innocent people being killed I'm not surprised people have strong feelings about that'.
But Mr McFadden added: 'In addition to the Middle East issue which you mentioned there are specific very local factors in Oldham which have knocked it out of line with the Labour gains we've been seeing
